Net zero energy facilities

ABSTRACT

A method includes providing a net consumption trajectory comprising net consumption targets for one or more subperiods of a time period. Each net consumption target indicates a target difference from a beginning of a time period to an end of the subperiod between total consumption and total production or offset. The method also includes generating, for a subperiod of the plurality of subperiods, a set of curtailment actions predicted to achieve the net consumption target for the subperiod and implementing the set of curtailment actions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63/301,910, filed Jan. 21, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to a building management system (BMS). A BMS is, in general, a system of devices configured to control, monitor, and manage equipment in or around a building or building area. A BMS can include, for example, a HVAC system, a security system, a lighting system, a fire alerting system, any other system that is capable of managing building functions or devices, or any combination thereof. In some scenarios, a BMS is associated with a source of green energy, such as a photovoltaic energy system, that provides energy to other equipment and devices associated with the BMS.

SUMMARY

One implementation of the present disclosure is a method. The method includes providing a net consumption trajectory comprising net consumption targets for one or more subperiods of a time period. Each net consumption target indicates a target difference from a beginning of a time period to an end of the subperiod between total consumption and total production or offset. The method also includes generating, for a subperiod of the plurality of subperiods, a set of curtailment actions predicted to achieve the net consumption target for the subperiod. The method also includes implementing the set of curtailment actions.

In some embodiments, the net consumption target is a net energy target indicating a target difference between energy consumption and total energy production. The subperiod may start after the beginning of the time period. In some embodiments, the total energy consumption corresponds to energy used by a facility and the total energy production corresponds to green energy produced at the facility.

In some embodiments, the net consumption target is a net carbon target indicating a target difference between total carbon emissions and total carbon capture from a beginning of the time period to an end of the subperiod. The method may also include providing a user dashboard comprising a visualization of the net consumption trajectory and the curtailment actions and updating the user dashboard as the plurality of subperiods elapse.

In some embodiments, the predicted cost accounts for carbon emissions associated with implementing the curtailment actions. In some embodiments, providing the net consumption trajectory includes generating the net consumption trajectory as an output of a predictive optimization constrained to cause the net consumption trajectory to have a target value at an end of the time period. Implementing the curtailment actions may include deploying a device of building equipment specified by the curtailment actions. Implementing the curtailment actions may also include controlling equipment to execute the curtailment actions.

In some embodiments, the equipment comprises a lighting device and a HVAC device. The set of curtailment actions comprises a lighting level change and a temperature setpoint change. Providing the net consumption trajectory includes performing a predictive optimization at a beginning of the time period. Generating the set of curtailment actions may be performed at a beginning of the subperiod.

In some embodiments, the total consumption comprises a first portion associated with building equipment and a second portion associated with transportation vehicles. The method may also include predicting an amount of energy production for the time period using a neural network, wherein the net consumption trajectory is based on the amount of energy production for the time period. In some embodiments, generating the set of curtailment actions comprises using a digital twin of a facility and wherein implementing the set of curtailment actions comprises operating equipment represented in the digital twin. In some embodiments, generating the set of curtailment actions comprises allocating portions of a total curtailment amount across a plurality of types of equipment.

Another implementation of the present disclosure is a system. The system includes an energy load operable to consume energy, a green energy source configured to produce energy, and processing circuitry programmed to provide a net energy trajectory including net energy targets for one or more subperiods of a time period. The net energy targets indicate gaps between energy to be consumed by the energy load and energy to be produced by the green energy source. The processing circuitry may also be programmed to generate, for a subperiod of the one or more subperiods, a curtailment action predicted to achieve the net energy target for the subperiod. The processing circuitry may also be programmed to implement the curtailment action by affecting the energy load.

In some embodiments, the net energy target for the subperiod indicates a target difference between cumulative energy consumption by the energy load and cumulative energy production by the green energy source from a beginning of the time period to an end of the subperiod. The subperiod may start after the beginning of the time period. In some embodiments, the system is configured to generate the curtailment action by performing a predictive optimization that uses cost predictions for possible curtailment actions and energy shaving predictions for the possible curtailment actions.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry is programmed to perform a first predictive optimization and a second predictive optimization, the net energy trajectory is an output of the first predictive optimization an input to the second predictive optimization, and the curtailment action is an output of the second predictive optimization. The first predictive optimization may be constrained to cause the net energy trajectory to have a zero value at an end of the time period. In some embodiments, the first predictive optimization is performed at a beginning of the time period and the second predictive optimization is performed at a beginning of the subperiod, with the beginning of the subperiod being after the beginning of the time period.

In some embodiments, wherein the energy load includes HVAC equipment and the curtailment action comprises a setpoint change. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry is programmed to generate the set of curtailment actions comprises using a digital twin of a facility and wherein implementing the set of curtailment actions comprises operating equipment represented in the digital twin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a building equipped with a HVAC system, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a waterside system which can be used to serve the building of FIG. 1 , according to some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an airside system which can be used to serve the building of FIG. 1 , according to some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a building management system (BMS) which can be used to monitor and control the building of FIG. 1 , according to some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of another BMS which can be used to monitor and control the building of FIG. 1 , according to some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a net zero energy facility, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a process of achieving net zero energy, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a set of graphs of energy consumption and production data relating to the process of FIG. 7 , according to some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is block diagram of a system manager of the net zero energy facility, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of another process of achieving net zero energy, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a set of graphs relating to the process of FIG. 10 , according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview

Referring generally to the FIGURES, net zero energy facilities and systems, devices, and methods relating thereto are shown in various embodiments. The innovations herein are related to providing a facility (building, campus, etc.) that consumes a net total of zero energy (or lower) over a time period (e.g., over a year, over a quarter, over a month, etc.). Consumption of net zero total energy can be advantageous for environmental reasons (e.g., to reduce carbon emission and other pollution) and for complying with associated regulations and responding to various stakeholders. In some aspects, the innovations herein provide technical solutions to problems associated with climate change and environmental constraints on future facilities projects.

A net zero energy facility is a facility which uses no more energy than the facility produces over a time period. Such a facility can include on-site energy sources, for example green energy sources such as a photovoltaic system for collecting solar energy, one or more windmills for collecting wind energy, a geothermal energy system for converting geothermal activity into electricity, etc. Such green energy sources may be non-carbon-emitting, non-polluting, renewable, etc. and can be installed at a facility. Energy from such sources can be used by various energy loads of the facility, including HVAC devices, lighting devices, appliances, computing equipment (e.g., data center), etc. Net energy is the difference between the energy production from the facility's energy sources and the facilities energy loads.

The facility may be connected to an energy grid which provides energy to the facility or receives energy from the facility to account for any excess energy or demand at a given time, for example when energy production and consumption are asynchronous. However, even where grid energy is used by the facility, energy can be provided back to the grid and a technical goal may exist to achieve net zero consumption from the grid over a time period. In such scenarios, a facility manager may be able to report net zero energy over a time period even where grid energy is used at certain times (e.g., at times of low renewable energy production). However, a challenge exists in optimally controlling the facility to adapt to changing conditions in order to achieve net zero energy status over a desired time period. The innovations detailed below address such challenges.

Building HVAC Systems and Building Management Systems

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5 , several building management systems (BMS) and HVAC systems in which the systems and methods of the present disclosure can be implemented are shown, according to some embodiments. In brief overview, FIG. 1 shows a building 10 equipped with a HVAC system 100. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a waterside system 200 which can be used to serve building 10. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an airside system 300 which can be used to serve building 10. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a BMS which can be used to monitor and control building 10. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of another BMS which can be used to monitor and control building 10.

Building and HVAC System

Referring particularly to FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a building 10 is shown. Building 10 is served by a BMS. A BMS is, in general, a system of devices configured to control, monitor, and manage equipment in or around a building or building area. A BMS can include, for example, a HVAC system, a security system, a lighting system, a fire alerting system, any other system that is capable of managing building functions or devices, or any combination thereof.

The BMS that serves building 10 includes a HVAC system 100. HVAC system 100 can include a plurality of HVAC devices (e.g., heaters, chillers, air handling units, pumps, fans, thermal energy storage, etc.) configured to provide heating, cooling, ventilation, or other services for building 10. For example, HVAC system 100 is shown to include a waterside system 120 and an airside system 130. Waterside system 120 may provide a heated or chilled fluid to an air handling unit of airside system 130. Airside system 130 may use the heated or chilled fluid to heat or cool an airflow provided to building 10. An exemplary waterside system and airside system which can be used in HVAC system 100 are described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 2-3 .

HVAC system 100 is shown to include a chiller 102, a boiler 104, and a rooftop air handling unit (AHU) 106. Waterside system 120 may use boiler 104 and chiller 102 to heat or cool a working fluid (e.g., water, glycol, etc.) and may circulate the working fluid to AHU 106. In various embodiments, the HVAC devices of waterside system 120 can be located in or around building 10 (as shown in FIG. 1 ) or at an offsite location such as a central plant (e.g., a chiller plant, a steam plant, a heat plant, etc.). The working fluid can be heated in boiler 104 or cooled in chiller 102, depending on whether heating or cooling is required in building 10. Boiler 104 may add heat to the circulated fluid, for example, by burning a combustible material (e.g., natural gas) or using an electric heating element. Chiller 102 may place the circulated fluid in a heat exchange relationship with another fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) in a heat exchanger (e.g., an evaporator) to absorb heat from the circulated fluid. The working fluid from chiller 102 and/or boiler 104 can be transported to AHU 106 via piping 108.

AHU 106 may place the working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with an airflow passing through AHU 106 (e.g., via one or more stages of cooling coils and/or heating coils). The airflow can be, for example, outside air, return air from within building 10, or a combination of both. AHU 106 may transfer heat between the airflow and the working fluid to provide heating or cooling for the airflow. For example, AHU 106 can include one or more fans or blowers configured to pass the airflow over or through a heat exchanger containing the working fluid. The working fluid may then return to chiller 102 or boiler 104 via piping 110.

Airside system 130 may deliver the airflow supplied by AHU 106 (i.e., the supply airflow) to building 10 via air supply ducts 112 and may provide return air from building 10 to AHU 106 via air return ducts 114. In some embodiments, airside system 130 includes multiple variable air volume (VAV) units 116. For example, airside system 130 is shown to include a separate VAV unit 116 on each floor or zone of building 10. VAV units 116 can include dampers or other flow control elements that can be operated to control an amount of the supply airflow provided to individual zones of building 10. In other embodiments, airside system 130 delivers the supply airflow into one or more zones of building 10 (e.g., via supply ducts 112) without using intermediate VAV units 116 or other flow control elements. AHU 106 can include various sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, pressure sensors, etc.) configured to measure attributes of the supply airflow. AHU 106 may receive input from sensors located within AHU 106 and/or within the building zone and may adjust the flow rate, temperature, or other attributes of the supply airflow through AHU 106 to achieve setpoint conditions for the building zone.

Waterside System

Referring now to FIG. 2 , a block diagram of a waterside system 200 is shown, according to some embodiments. In various embodiments, waterside system 200 may supplement or replace waterside system 120 in HVAC system 100 or can be implemented separate from HVAC system 100. When implemented in HVAC system 100, waterside system 200 can include a subset of the HVAC devices in HVAC system 100 (e.g., boiler 104, chiller 102, pumps, valves, etc.) and may operate to supply a heated or chilled fluid to AHU 106. The HVAC devices of waterside system 200 can be located within building 10 (e.g., as components of waterside system 120) or at an offsite location such as a central plant.

In FIG. 2 , waterside system 200 is shown as a central plant having a plurality of subplants 202-212. Subplants 202-212 are shown to include a heater subplant 202, a heat recovery chiller subplant 204, a chiller subplant 206, a cooling tower subplant 208, a hot thermal energy storage (TES) subplant 210, and a cold thermal energy storage (TES) subplant 212. Subplants 202-212 consume resources (e.g., water, natural gas, electricity, etc.) from utilities to serve thermal energy loads (e.g., hot water, cold water, heating, cooling, etc.) of a building or campus. For example, heater subplant 202 can be configured to heat water in a hot water loop 214 that circulates the hot water between heater subplant 202 and building 10. Chiller subplant 206 can be configured to chill water in a cold water loop 216 that circulates the cold water between chiller subplant 206 building 10. Heat recovery chiller subplant 204 can be configured to transfer heat from cold water loop 216 to hot water loop 214 to provide additional heating for the hot water and additional cooling for the cold water. Condenser water loop 218 may absorb heat from the cold water in chiller subplant 206 and reject the absorbed heat in cooling tower subplant 208 or transfer the absorbed heat to hot water loop 214. Hot TES subplant 210 and cold TES subplant 212 may store hot and cold thermal energy, respectively, for subsequent use.

Hot water loop 214 and cold water loop 216 may deliver the heated and/or chilled water to air handlers located on the rooftop of building 10 (e.g., AHU 106) or to individual floors or zones of building 10 (e.g., VAV units 116). The air handlers push air past heat exchangers (e.g., heating coils or cooling coils) through which the water flows to provide heating or cooling for the air. The heated or cooled air can be delivered to individual zones of building 10 to serve thermal energy loads of building 10. The water then returns to subplants 202-212 to receive further heating or cooling.

Although subplants 202-212 are shown and described as heating and cooling water for circulation to a building, it is understood that any other type of working fluid (e.g., glycol, CO2, etc.) can be used in place of or in addition to water to serve thermal energy loads. In other embodiments, subplants 202-212 may provide heating and/or cooling directly to the building or campus without requiring an intermediate heat transfer fluid. These and other variations to waterside system 200 are within the teachings of the present disclosure.

Each of subplants 202-212 can include a variety of equipment configured to facilitate the functions of the subplant. For example, heater subplant 202 is shown to include a plurality of heating elements 220 (e.g., boilers, electric heaters, etc.) configured to add heat to the hot water in hot water loop 214. Heater subplant 202 is also shown to include several pumps 222 and 224 configured to circulate the hot water in hot water loop 214 and to control the flow rate of the hot water through individual heating elements 220. Chiller subplant 206 is shown to include a plurality of chillers 232 configured to remove heat from the cold water in cold water loop 216. Chiller subplant 206 is also shown to include several pumps 234 and 236 configured to circulate the cold water in cold water loop 216 and to control the flow rate of the cold water through individual chillers 232.

Heat recovery chiller subplant 204 is shown to include a plurality of heat recovery heat exchangers 226 (e.g., refrigeration circuits) configured to transfer heat from cold water loop 216 to hot water loop 214. Heat recovery chiller subplant 204 is also shown to include several pumps 228 and 230 configured to circulate the hot water and/or cold water through heat recovery heat exchangers 226 and to control the flow rate of the water through individual heat recovery heat exchangers 226. Cooling tower subplant 208 is shown to include a plurality of cooling towers 238 configured to remove heat from the condenser water in condenser water loop 218. Cooling tower subplant 208 is also shown to include several pumps 240 configured to circulate the condenser water in condenser water loop 218 and to control the flow rate of the condenser water through individual cooling towers 238.

Hot TES subplant 210 is shown to include a hot TES tank 242 configured to store the hot water for later use. Hot TES subplant 210 may also include one or more pumps or valves configured to control the flow rate of the hot water into or out of hot TES tank 242. Cold TES subplant 212 is shown to include cold TES tanks 244 configured to store the cold water for later use. Cold TES subplant 212 may also include one or more pumps or valves configured to control the flow rate of the cold water into or out of cold TES tanks 244.

In some embodiments, one or more of the pumps in waterside system 200 (e.g., pumps 222, 224, 228, 230, 234, 236, and/or 240) or pipelines in waterside system 200 include an isolation valve associated therewith. Isolation valves can be integrated with the pumps or positioned upstream or downstream of the pumps to control the fluid flows in waterside system 200. In various embodiments, waterside system 200 can include more, fewer, or different types of devices and/or subplants based on the particular configuration of waterside system 200 and the types of loads served by waterside system 200.

Airside System

Referring now to FIG. 3 , a block diagram of an airside system 300 is shown, according to some embodiments. In various embodiments, airside system 300 may supplement or replace airside system 130 in HVAC system 100 or can be implemented separate from HVAC system 100. When implemented in HVAC system 100, airside system 300 can include a subset of the HVAC devices in HVAC system 100 (e.g., AHU 106, VAV units 116, ducts 112-114, fans, dampers, etc.) and can be located in or around building 10. Airside system 300 may operate to heat or cool an airflow provided to building 10 using a heated or chilled fluid provided by waterside system 200.

In FIG. 3 , airside system 300 is shown to include an economizer-type air handling unit (AHU) 302. Economizer-type AHUs vary the amount of outside air and return air used by the air handling unit for heating or cooling. For example, AHU 302 may receive return air 304 from building zone 306 via return air duct 308 and may deliver supply air 310 to building zone 306 via supply air duct 312. In some embodiments, AHU 302 is a rooftop unit located on the roof of building 10 (e.g., AHU 106 as shown in FIG. 1 ) or otherwise positioned to receive both return air 304 and outside air 314. AHU 302 can be configured to operate exhaust air damper 316, mixing damper 318, and outside air damper 320 to control an amount of outside air 314 and return air 304 that combine to form supply air 310. Any return air 304 that does not pass through mixing damper 318 can be exhausted from AHU 302 through exhaust damper 316 as exhaust air 322.

Each of dampers 316-320 can be operated by an actuator. For example, exhaust air damper 316 can be operated by actuator 324, mixing damper 318 can be operated by actuator 326, and outside air damper 320 can be operated by actuator 328. Actuators 324-328 may communicate with an AHU controller 330 via a communications link 332. Actuators 324-328 may receive control signals from AHU controller 330 and may provide feedback signals to AHU controller 330. Feedback signals can include, for example, an indication of a current actuator or damper position, an amount of torque or force exerted by the actuator, diagnostic information (e.g., results of diagnostic tests performed by actuators 324-328), status information, commissioning information, configuration settings, calibration data, and/or other types of information or data that can be collected, stored, or used by actuators 324-328. AHU controller 330 can be an economizer controller configured to use one or more control algorithms (e.g., state-based algorithms, extremum seeking control (ESC) algorithms, proportional-integral (PI) control algorithms, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithms, model predictive control (MPC) algorithms, feedback control algorithms, etc.) to control actuators 324-328.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , AHU 302 is shown to include a cooling coil 334, a heating coil 336, and a fan 338 positioned within supply air duct 312. Fan 338 can be configured to force supply air 310 through cooling coil 334 and/or heating coil 336 and provide supply air 310 to building zone 306. AHU controller 330 may communicate with fan 338 via communications link 340 to control a flow rate of supply air 310. In some embodiments, AHU controller 330 controls an amount of heating or cooling applied to supply air 310 by modulating a speed of fan 338.

Cooling coil 334 may receive a chilled fluid from waterside system 200 (e.g., from cold water loop 216) via piping 342 and may return the chilled fluid to waterside system 200 via piping 344. Valve 346 can be positioned along piping 342 or piping 344 to control a flow rate of the chilled fluid through cooling coil 334. In some embodiments, cooling coil 334 includes multiple stages of cooling coils that can be independently activated and deactivated (e.g., by AHU controller 330, by BMS controller 366, etc.) to modulate an amount of cooling applied to supply air 310.

Heating coil 336 may receive a heated fluid from waterside system 200 (e.g., from hot water loop 214) via piping 348 and may return the heated fluid to waterside system 200 via piping 350. Valve 352 can be positioned along piping 348 or piping 350 to control a flow rate of the heated fluid through heating coil 336. In some embodiments, heating coil 336 includes multiple stages of heating coils that can be independently activated and deactivated (e.g., by AHU controller 330, by BMS controller 366, etc.) to modulate an amount of heating applied to supply air 310.

Each of valves 346 and 352 can be controlled by an actuator. For example, valve 346 can be controlled by actuator 354 and valve 352 can be controlled by actuator 356. Actuators 354-356 may communicate with AHU controller 330 via communications links 358-360. Actuators 354-356 may receive control signals from AHU controller 330 and may provide feedback signals to controller 330. In some embodiments, AHU controller 330 receives a measurement of the supply air temperature from a temperature sensor 362 positioned in supply air duct 312 (e.g., downstream of cooling coil 334 and/or heating coil 336). AHU controller 330 may also receive a measurement of the temperature of building zone 306 from a temperature sensor 364 located in building zone 306.

In some embodiments, AHU controller 330 operates valves 346 and 352 via actuators 354-356 to modulate an amount of heating or cooling provided to supply air 310 (e.g., to achieve a setpoint temperature for supply air 310 or to maintain the temperature of supply air 310 within a setpoint temperature range). The positions of valves 346 and 352 affect the amount of heating or cooling provided to supply air 310 by cooling coil 334 or heating coil 336 and may correlate with the amount of energy consumed to achieve a desired supply air temperature. AHU 330 may control the temperature of supply air 310 and/or building zone 306 by activating or deactivating coils 334-336, adjusting a speed of fan 338, or a combination of both.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , airside system 300 is shown to include a building management system (BMS) controller 366 and a client device 368. BMS controller 366 can include one or more computer systems (e.g., servers, supervisory controllers, subsystem controllers, etc.) that serve as system level controllers, application or data servers, head nodes, or master controllers for airside system 300, waterside system 200, HVAC system 100, and/or other controllable systems that serve building 10. BMS controller 366 may communicate with multiple downstream building systems or subsystems (e.g., HVAC system 100, a security system, a lighting system, waterside system 200, etc.) via a communications link 370 according to like or disparate protocols (e.g., LON, BACnet, etc.). In various embodiments, AHU controller 330 and BMS controller 366 can be separate (as shown in FIG. 3 ) or integrated. In an integrated implementation, AHU controller 330 can be a software module configured for execution by a processor of BMS controller 366.

In some embodiments, AHU controller 330 receives information from BMS controller 366 (e.g., commands, setpoints, operating boundaries, etc.) and provides information to BMS controller 366 (e.g., temperature measurements, valve or actuator positions, operating statuses, diagnostics, etc.). For example, AHU controller 330 may provide BMS controller 366 with temperature measurements from temperature sensors 362-364, equipment on/off states, equipment operating capacities, and/or any other information that can be used by BMS controller 366 to monitor or control a variable state or condition within building zone 306.

Client device 368 can include one or more human-machine interfaces or client interfaces (e.g., graphical user interfaces, reporting interfaces, text-based computer interfaces, client-facing web services, web servers that provide pages to web clients, etc.) for controlling, viewing, or otherwise interacting with HVAC system 100, its subsystems, and/or devices. Client device 368 can be a computer workstation, a client terminal, a remote or local interface, or any other type of user interface device. Client device 368 can be a stationary terminal or a mobile device. For example, client device 368 can be a desktop computer, a computer server with a user interface, a laptop computer, a tablet, a smartphone, a PDA, or any other type of mobile or non-mobile device. Client device 368 may communicate with BMS controller 366 and/or AHU controller 330 via communications link 372.

Building Management Systems

Referring now to FIG. 4 , a block diagram of a building management system (BMS) 400 is shown, according to some embodiments. BMS 400 can be implemented in building 10 to automatically monitor and control various building functions. BMS 400 is shown to include BMS controller 366 and a plurality of building subsystems 428. Building subsystems 428 are shown to include a building electrical subsystem 434, an information communication technology (ICT) subsystem 436, a security subsystem 438, a HVAC subsystem 440, a lighting subsystem 442, a lift/escalators subsystem 432, and a fire safety subsystem 430. In various embodiments, building subsystems 428 can include fewer, additional, or alternative subsystems. For example, building subsystems 428 may also or alternatively include a refrigeration subsystem, an advertising or signage subsystem, a cooking subsystem, a vending subsystem, a printer or copy service subsystem, or any other type of building subsystem that uses controllable equipment and/or sensors to monitor or control building 10. In some embodiments, building subsystems 428 include waterside system 200 and/or airside system 300, as described with reference to FIGS. 2-3 .

Each of building subsystems 428 can include any number of devices, controllers, and connections for completing its individual functions and control activities. HVAC subsystem 440 can include many of the same components as HVAC system 100, as described with reference to FIGS. 1-3 . For example, HVAC subsystem 440 can include a chiller, a boiler, any number of air handling units, economizers, field controllers, supervisory controllers, actuators, temperature sensors, and other devices for controlling the temperature, humidity, airflow, or other variable conditions within building 10. Lighting subsystem 442 can include any number of light fixtures, ballasts, lighting sensors, dimmers, or other devices configured to controllably adjust the amount of light provided to a building space. Security subsystem 438 can include occupancy sensors, video surveillance cameras, digital video recorders, video processing servers, intrusion detection devices, access control devices and servers, or other security-related devices.

Still referring to FIG. 4 , BMS controller 366 is shown to include a communications interface 407 and a BMS interface 409. Interface 407 may facilitate communications between BMS controller 366 and external applications (e.g., monitoring and reporting applications 422, enterprise control applications 426, remote systems and applications 444, applications residing on client devices 448, etc.) for allowing user control, monitoring, and adjustment to BMS controller 366 and/or subsystems 428. Interface 407 may also facilitate communications between BMS controller 366 and client devices 448. BMS interface 409 may facilitate communications between BMS controller 366 and building subsystems 428 (e.g., HVAC, lighting security, lifts, power distribution, business, etc.).

Interfaces 407, 409 can be or include wired or wireless communications interfaces (e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wire terminals, etc.) for conducting data communications with building subsystems 428 or other external systems or devices. In various embodiments, communications via interfaces 407, 409 can be direct (e.g., local wired or wireless communications) or via a communications network 446 (e.g., a WAN, the Internet, a cellular network, etc.). For example, interfaces 407, 409 can include an Ethernet card and port for sending and receiving data via an Ethernet-based communications link or network. In another example, interfaces 407, 409 can include a Wi-Fi transceiver for communicating via a wireless communications network. In another example, one or both of interfaces 407, 409 can include cellular or mobile phone communications transceivers. In one embodiment, communications interface 407 is a power line communications interface and BMS interface 409 is an Ethernet interface. In other embodiments, both communications interface 407 and BMS interface 409 are Ethernet interfaces or are the same Ethernet interface.

Still referring to FIG. 4 , BMS controller 366 is shown to include a processing circuit 404 including a processor 406 and memory 408. Processing circuit 404 can be communicably connected to BMS interface 409 and/or communications interface 407 such that processing circuit 404 and the various components thereof can send and receive data via interfaces 407, 409. Processor 406 can be implemented as a general purpose processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a group of processing components, or other suitable electronic processing components.

Memory 408 (e.g., memory, memory unit, storage device, etc.) can include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash memory, hard disk storage, etc.) for storing data and/or computer code for completing or facilitating the various processes, layers and modules described in the present application. Memory 408 can be or include volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Memory 408 can include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in the present application. According to some embodiments, memory 408 is communicably connected to processor 406 via processing circuit 404 and includes computer code for executing (e.g., by processing circuit 404 and/or processor 406) one or more processes described herein. One or more non-transitory computer readable media can store instructions that when executed by one or more processors perform the operations disclosed herein.

In some embodiments, BMS controller 366 is implemented within a single computer (e.g., one server, one housing, etc.). In various other embodiments BMS controller 366 can be distributed across multiple servers or computers (e.g., that can exist in distributed locations). Further, while FIG. 4 shows applications 422 and 426 as existing outside of BMS controller 366, in some embodiments, applications 422 and 426 can be hosted within BMS controller 366 (e.g., within memory 408).

Still referring to FIG. 4 , memory 408 is shown to include an enterprise integration layer 410, an automated measurement and validation (AM&V) layer 412, a demand response (DR) layer 414, a fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) layer 416, an integrated control layer 418, and a building subsystem integration later 420. Layers 410-420 can be configured to receive inputs from building subsystems 428 and other data sources, determine optimal control actions for building subsystems 428 based on the inputs, generate control signals based on the optimal control actions, and provide the generated control signals to building subsystems 428. The following paragraphs describe some of the general functions performed by each of layers 410-420 in BMS 400.

Enterprise integration layer 410 can be configured to serve clients or local applications with information and services to support a variety of enterprise-level applications. For example, enterprise control applications 426 can be configured to provide subsystem-spanning control to a graphical user interface (GUI) or to any number of enterprise-level business applications (e.g., accounting systems, user identification systems, etc.). Enterprise control applications 426 may also or alternatively be configured to provide configuration GUIs for configuring BMS controller 366. In yet other embodiments, enterprise control applications 426 can work with layers 410-420 to optimize building performance (e.g., efficiency, energy use, comfort, or safety) based on inputs received at interface 407 and/or BMS interface 409.

Building subsystem integration layer 420 can be configured to manage communications between BMS controller 366 and building subsystems 428. For example, building subsystem integration layer 420 may receive sensor data and input signals from building subsystems 428 and provide output data and control signals to building subsystems 428. Building subsystem integration layer 420 may also be configured to manage communications between building subsystems 428. Building subsystem integration layer 420 translate communications (e.g., sensor data, input signals, output signals, etc.) across a plurality of multi-vendor/multi-protocol systems.

Demand response layer 414 can be configured to optimize resource usage (e.g., electricity use, natural gas use, water use, etc.) and/or the monetary cost of such resource usage in response to satisfy the demand of building 10. The optimization can be based on time-of-use prices, curtailment signals, energy availability, or other data received from utility providers, distributed energy generation systems 424, from energy storage 427 (e.g., hot TES 242, cold TES 244, etc.), or from other sources. Demand response layer 414 may receive inputs from other layers of BMS controller 366 (e.g., building subsystem integration layer 420, integrated control layer 418, etc.). The inputs received from other layers can include environmental or sensor inputs such as temperature, carbon dioxide levels, relative humidity levels, air quality sensor outputs, occupancy sensor outputs, room schedules, and the like. The inputs may also include inputs such as electrical use (e.g., expressed in kWh), thermal load measurements, pricing information, projected pricing, smoothed pricing, curtailment signals from utilities, and the like.

According to some embodiments, demand response layer 414 includes control logic for responding to the data and signals it receives. These responses can include communicating with the control algorithms in integrated control layer 418, changing control strategies, changing setpoints, or activating/deactivating building equipment or subsystems in a controlled manner. Demand response layer 414 may also include control logic configured to determine when to utilize stored energy. For example, demand response layer 414 may determine to begin using energy from energy storage 427 just prior to the beginning of a peak use hour.

In some embodiments, demand response layer 414 includes a control module configured to actively initiate control actions (e.g., automatically changing setpoints) which minimize energy costs based on one or more inputs representative of or based on demand (e.g., price, a curtailment signal, a demand level, etc.). In some embodiments, demand response layer 414 uses equipment models to determine an optimal set of control actions. The equipment models can include, for example, thermodynamic models describing the inputs, outputs, and/or functions performed by various sets of building equipment. Equipment models may represent collections of building equipment (e.g., subplants, chiller arrays, etc.) or individual devices (e.g., individual chillers, heaters, pumps, etc.).

Demand response layer 414 may further include or draw upon one or more demand response policy definitions (e.g., databases, XML, files, etc.). The policy definitions can be edited or adjusted by a user (e.g., via a graphical user interface) so that the control actions initiated in response to demand inputs can be tailored for the user's application, desired comfort level, particular building equipment, or based on other concerns. For example, the demand response policy definitions can specify which equipment can be turned on or off in response to particular demand inputs, how long a system or piece of equipment should be turned off, what setpoints can be changed, what the allowable set point adjustment range is, how long to hold a high demand setpoint before returning to a normally scheduled setpoint, how close to approach capacity limits, which equipment modes to utilize, the energy transfer rates (e.g., the maximum rate, an alarm rate, other rate boundary information, etc.) into and out of energy storage devices (e.g., thermal storage tanks, battery banks, etc.), and when to dispatch on-site generation of energy (e.g., via fuel cells, a motor generator set, etc.).

Integrated control layer 418 can be configured to use the data input or output of building subsystem integration layer 420 and/or demand response later 414 to make control decisions. Due to the subsystem integration provided by building subsystem integration layer 420, integrated control layer 418 can integrate control activities of the subsystems 428 such that the subsystems 428 behave as a single integrated supersystem. In some embodiments, integrated control layer 418 includes control logic that uses inputs and outputs from a plurality of building subsystems to provide greater comfort and energy savings relative to the comfort and energy savings that separate subsystems could provide alone. For example, integrated control layer 418 can be configured to use an input from a first subsystem to make an energy-saving control decision for a second subsystem. Results of these decisions can be communicated back to building subsystem integration layer 420.

Integrated control layer 418 is shown to be logically below demand response layer 414. Integrated control layer 418 can be configured to enhance the effectiveness of demand response layer 414 by enabling building subsystems 428 and their respective control loops to be controlled in coordination with demand response layer 414. This configuration may advantageously reduce disruptive demand response behavior relative to conventional systems. For example, integrated control layer 418 can be configured to assure that a demand response-driven upward adjustment to the setpoint for chilled water temperature (or another component that directly or indirectly affects temperature) does not result in an increase in fan energy (or other energy used to cool a space) that would result in greater total building energy use than was saved at the chiller.

Integrated control layer 418 can be configured to provide feedback to demand response layer 414 so that demand response layer 414 checks that constraints (e.g., temperature, lighting levels, etc.) are properly maintained even while demanded load shedding is in progress. The constraints may also include setpoint or sensed boundaries relating to safety, equipment operating limits and performance, comfort, fire codes, electrical codes, energy codes, and the like. Integrated control layer 418 is also logically below fault detection and diagnostics layer 416 and automated measurement and validation layer 412. Integrated control layer 418 can be configured to provide calculated inputs (e.g., aggregations) to these higher levels based on outputs from more than one building subsystem.

Automated measurement and validation (AM&V) layer 412 can be configured to verify that control strategies commanded by integrated control layer 418 or demand response layer 414 are working properly (e.g., using data aggregated by AM&V layer 412, integrated control layer 418, building subsystem integration layer 420, FDD layer 416, or otherwise). The calculations made by AM&V layer 412 can be based on building system energy models and/or equipment models for individual BMS devices or subsystems. For example, AM&V layer 412 may compare a model-predicted output with an actual output from building subsystems 428 to determine an accuracy of the model.

Fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) layer 416 can be configured to provide on-going fault detection for building subsystems 428, building subsystem devices (i.e., building equipment), and control algorithms used by demand response layer 414 and integrated control layer 418. FDD layer 416 may receive data inputs from integrated control layer 418, directly from one or more building subsystems or devices, or from another data source. FDD layer 416 may automatically diagnose and respond to detected faults. The responses to detected or diagnosed faults can include providing an alert message to a user, a maintenance scheduling system, or a control algorithm configured to attempt to repair the fault or to work-around the fault.

FDD layer 416 can be configured to output a specific identification of the faulty component or cause of the fault (e.g., loose damper linkage) using detailed subsystem inputs available at building subsystem integration layer 420. In other exemplary embodiments, FDD layer 416 is configured to provide “fault” events to integrated control layer 418 which executes control strategies and policies in response to the received fault events. According to some embodiments, FDD layer 416 (or a policy executed by an integrated control engine or business rules engine) may shut-down systems or direct control activities around faulty devices or systems to reduce energy waste, extend equipment life, or assure proper control response.

FDD layer 416 can be configured to store or access a variety of different system data stores (or data points for live data). FDD layer 416 may use some content of the data stores to identify faults at the equipment level (e.g., specific chiller, specific AHU, specific terminal unit, etc.) and other content to identify faults at component or subsystem levels. For example, building subsystems 428 may generate temporal (i.e., time-series) data indicating the performance of BMS 400 and the various components thereof. The data generated by building subsystems 428 can include measured or calculated values that exhibit statistical characteristics and provide information about how the corresponding system or process (e.g., a temperature control process, a flow control process, etc.) is performing in terms of error from its setpoint. These processes can be examined by FDD layer 416 to expose when the system begins to degrade in performance and alert a user to repair the fault before it becomes more severe.

Referring now to FIG. 5 , a block diagram of another building management system (BMS) 500 is shown, according to some embodiments. BMS 500 can be used to monitor and control the devices of HVAC system 100, waterside system 200, airside system 300, building subsystems 428, as well as other types of BMS devices (e.g., lighting equipment, security equipment, etc.) and/or HVAC equipment.

BMS 500 provides a system architecture that facilitates automatic equipment discovery and equipment model distribution. Equipment discovery can occur on multiple levels of BMS 500 across multiple different communications busses (e.g., a system bus 554, zone buses 556-560 and 564, sensor/actuator bus 566, etc.) and across multiple different communications protocols. In some embodiments, equipment discovery is accomplished using active node tables, which provide status information for devices connected to each communications bus. For example, each communications bus can be monitored for new devices by monitoring the corresponding active node table for new nodes. When a new device is detected, BMS 500 can begin interacting with the new device (e.g., sending control signals, using data from the device) without user interaction.

Some devices in BMS 500 present themselves to the network using equipment models. An equipment model defines equipment object attributes, view definitions, schedules, trends, and the associated BACnet value objects (e.g., analog value, binary value, multistate value, etc.) that are used for integration with other systems. Some devices in BMS 500 store their own equipment models. Other devices in BMS 500 have equipment models stored externally (e.g., within other devices). For example, a zone coordinator 508 can store the equipment model for a bypass damper 528. In some embodiments, zone coordinator 508 automatically creates the equipment model for bypass damper 528 or other devices on zone bus 558. Other zone coordinators can also create equipment models for devices connected to their zone busses. The equipment model for a device can be created automatically based on the types of data points exposed by the device on the zone bus, device type, and/or other device attributes. Several examples of automatic equipment discovery and equipment model distribution are discussed in greater detail below.

Still referring to FIG. 5 , BMS 500 is shown to include a system manager 502; several zone coordinators 506, 508, 510 and 518; and several zone controllers 524, 530, 532, 536, 548, and 550. System manager 502 can monitor data points in BMS 500 and report monitored variables to various monitoring and/or control applications. System manager 502 can communicate with client devices 504 (e.g., user devices, desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile devices, etc.) via a data communications link 574 (e.g., BACnet IP, Ethernet, wired or wireless communications, etc.). System manager 502 can provide a user interface to client devices 504 via data communications link 574. The user interface may allow users to monitor and/or control BMS 500 via client devices 504.

In some embodiments, system manager 502 is connected with zone coordinators 506-510 and 518 via a system bus 554. System manager 502 can be configured to communicate with zone coordinators 506-510 and 518 via system bus 554 using a master-slave token passing (MSTP) protocol or any other communications protocol. System bus 554 can also connect system manager 502 with other devices such as a constant volume (CV) rooftop unit (RTU) 512, an input/output module (TOM) 514, a thermostat controller 516 (e.g., a TEC5000 series thermostat controller), and a network automation engine (NAE) or third-party controller 520. RTU 512 can be configured to communicate directly with system manager 502 and can be connected directly to system bus 554. Other RTUs can communicate with system manager 502 via an intermediate device. For example, a wired input 562 can connect a third-party RTU 542 to thermostat controller 516, which connects to system bus 554.

System manager 502 can provide a user interface for any device containing an equipment model. Devices such as zone coordinators 506-510 and 518 and thermostat controller 516 can provide their equipment models to system manager 502 via system bus 554. In some embodiments, system manager 502 automatically creates equipment models for connected devices that do not contain an equipment model (e.g., IOM 514, third party controller 520, etc.). For example, system manager 502 can create an equipment model for any device that responds to a device tree request. The equipment models created by system manager 502 can be stored within system manager 502. System manager 502 can then provide a user interface for devices that do not contain their own equipment models using the equipment models created by system manager 502. In some embodiments, system manager 502 stores a view definition for each type of equipment connected via system bus 554 and uses the stored view definition to generate a user interface for the equipment.

Each zone coordinator 506-510 and 518 can be connected with one or more of zone controllers 524, 530-532, 536, and 548-550 via zone buses 556, 558, 560, and 564. Zone coordinators 506-510 and 518 can communicate with zone controllers 524, 530-532, 536, and 548-550 via zone busses 556-560 and 564 using a MSTP protocol or any other communications protocol. Zone busses 556-560 and 564 can also connect zone coordinators 506-510 and 518 with other types of devices such as variable air volume (VAV) RTUs 522 and 540, changeover bypass (COBP) RTUs 526 and 552, bypass dampers 528 and 546, and PEAK controllers 534 and 544.

Zone coordinators 506-510 and 518 can be configured to monitor and command various zoning systems. In some embodiments, each zone coordinator 506-510 and 518 monitors and commands a separate zoning system and is connected to the zoning system via a separate zone bus. For example, zone coordinator 506 can be connected to VAV RTU 522 and zone controller 524 via zone bus 556. Zone coordinator 508 can be connected to COBP RTU 526, bypass damper 528, COBP zone controller 530, and VAV zone controller 532 via zone bus 558. Zone coordinator 510 can be connected to PEAK controller 534 and VAV zone controller 536 via zone bus 560. Zone coordinator 518 can be connected to PEAK controller 544, bypass damper 546, COBP zone controller 548, and VAV zone controller 550 via zone bus 564.

A single model of zone coordinator 506-510 and 518 can be configured to handle multiple different types of zoning systems (e.g., a VAV zoning system, a COBP zoning system, etc.). Each zoning system can include a RTU, one or more zone controllers, and/or a bypass damper. For example, zone coordinators 506 and 510 are shown as Verasys VAV engines (VVEs) connected to VAV RTUs 522 and 540, respectively. Zone coordinator 506 is connected directly to VAV RTU 522 via zone bus 556, whereas zone coordinator 510 is connected to a third-party VAV RTU 540 via a wired input 568 provided to PEAK controller 534. Zone coordinators 508 and 518 are shown as Verasys COBP engines (VCEs) connected to COBP RTUs 526 and 552, respectively. Zone coordinator 508 is connected directly to COBP RTU 526 via zone bus 558, whereas zone coordinator 518 is connected to a third-party COBP RTU 552 via a wired input 570 provided to PEAK controller 544.

Zone controllers 524, 530-532, 536, and 548-550 can communicate with individual BMS devices (e.g., sensors, actuators, etc.) via sensor/actuator (SA) busses. For example, VAV zone controller 536 is shown connected to networked sensors 538 via SA bus 566. Zone controller 536 can communicate with networked sensors 538 using a MSTP protocol or any other communications protocol. Although only one SA bus 566 is shown in FIG. 5 , it should be understood that each zone controller 524, 530-532, 536, and 548-550 can be connected to a different SA bus. Each SA bus can connect a zone controller with various sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, humidity sensors, pressure sensors, light sensors, occupancy sensors, etc.), actuators (e.g., damper actuators, valve actuators, etc.) and/or other types of controllable equipment (e.g., chillers, heaters, fans, pumps, etc.).

Each zone controller 524, 530-532, 536, and 548-550 can be configured to monitor and control a different building zone. Zone controllers 524, 530-532, 536, and 548-550 can use the inputs and outputs provided via their SA busses to monitor and control various building zones. For example, a zone controller 536 can use a temperature input received from networked sensors 538 via SA bus 566 (e.g., a measured temperature of a building zone) as feedback in a temperature control algorithm. Zone controllers 524, 530-532, 536, and 548-550 can use various types of control algorithms (e.g., state-based algorithms, extremum seeking control (ESC) algorithms, proportional-integral (PI) control algorithms, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithms, model predictive control (MPC) algorithms, feedback control algorithms, etc.) to control a variable state or condition (e.g., temperature, humidity, airflow, lighting, etc.) in or around building 10.

Net Zero Energy Facilities

Referring now to FIG. 6 , a block diagram of a net zero energy facility 600 is shown, according to some embodiments. The facility 600 may be a building (e.g., building 10, residential building, commercial building, healthcare facility, school, etc.), collection of buildings, campus, outdoors facility (e.g., park, railyard, port, sports facility, etc.), or other location in various embodiments. The facility 600 is shown as including the system manager 502, green energy sources 602, and energy loads 604, with the facility 600 also shown as being connected to utility grid 606.

The green energy sources 602 are shown as including a photovoltaic system 608, a windmill 610, and a geothermal system 612. The green energy sources 602 are shown as being located at the facility 600. For example, the photovoltaic system 608 and/or the windmill 610 may be positioned on a rooftop. As another example, the photovoltaic system 608 can be positioned adjacent to a building or other structure. The photovoltaic system 608 can include photovoltaic cells configured to transform solar irradiance into electricity. The windmill 610 can include a turbine configured to convert wind at the facility 600 into electricity. The geothermal system 612 can be configured to transform geothermal energy (e.g., geothermal heat from below ground) into electricity and/or directly use geothermal heat for heating a building or serving other building demands. Depending access of the facility 600 to various resources and geological features, various types of green energy sources 602 can be included in various embodiments (e.g., hydro-electric power, etc.). In some embodiments, the green energy sources 602 include energy storage devices (e.g., batteries) which enable delay between a time of energy production/harvesting and energy usage.

The energy loads 604 are shown as including HVAC equipment 614, lighting devices 616, appliances 618, and computing equipment 620. The HVAC equipment 614 can include equipment of a waterside system 200 and an airside system 300 as described above for example. The HVAC equipment 614 can include a variable refrigerant flow system, a room air conditioner, a window air conditioner, etc. in various embodiments. The lighting devices 616 are configured to illuminate the facility 600 and can include various light fixtures, bulbs, arrays, etc., including indoor and outdoor lighting. The appliances 618 can include various miscellaneous appliances which consume energy at the facility 600 and may vary in various scenarios and use cases for the facility (e.g., ovens, stoves, microwaves, dishwashers, water heaters, laboratory equipment, medical devices, manufacturing line equipment, electrified vehicle charging stations, etc.). The computing equipment 620 can include personal computing devices (e.g., desktop computers, laptop computers, etc.) and/or servers, networking infrastructure, data center, etc. Various energy loads 604 can be included at the facility 600.

The system manager 502 is configured to perform operations as described below with reference to FIGS. 7-11 in order to cause the energy loads 604 to operate to consume the same amount of energy as produced by the green energy sources 602 over a time period (e.g., over a month, over a quarter, over a year). For particular subperiods of the time period, energy production by the green energy sources 602 may be greater than or less than energy consumption by the energy loads 604 (e.g., due to fluctuations in availability of renewable energy, spikes in energy demand, etc.) with the grid 606 absorbing excess production and serving excess demand. The system manager 502 operates over the time period to balance such subperiods such that energy production by the green energy sources 602 and energy consumption by the energy loads 604 are equalized by the end of the time period. When such operations are successfully executed, the facility 600 can be characterized as a net zero energy facility. In some embodiments, the energy consumption by the energy loads 604 is less than the energy production by the green energy sources 602 over the time period, in which case the facility 600 produces more energy than it consumes. Such operation may also cause the facility 600 to be characterized as a net zero energy facility (i.e., energy consumption by the facility 600 is less than or equal to energy consumption by the facility 600 over a given time period).

Referring now to FIG. 7 , a flowchart of a process 700 for achieving net zero energy consumption over a time period is shown, according to some embodiments. The process 700 can be executed by the facility 600, for example by the system manager 502. In some embodiments, the process 700 is executed prior to a time period over which net zero energy consumption is to be achieved, or at the beginning of the time period. In other embodiments, the process 700 can be executed partially into the time period such that some amount of energy consumption and/or energy production by the facility 600 has already occurred within the time period up to the point in time at which the process 700 is executed.

At step 702, the energy margin for the facility 600 (i.e., a difference between energy production and energy consumption by the facility 600) up to a current time is calculated. The energy margin may be defined as the total amount of energy produced by the facility 600 within the time period up to the current time minus the total amount of energy consumed by the facility 600 within the time period up to the current time. The energy margin may be calculated based on data from energy meters that measure energy production and consumption at the facility 600, for example. The energy margin can be calculated from a designated starting point (e.g., the beginning of a month, the beginning of a quarter, a beginning of a fiscal year or calendar year, etc.) up to the current time at which the process 700 is executed. The notation herein designates the energy margin up to the current time as E₀. In some embodiments, the energy consumption for a facility includes energy consumption of equipment located at or directly serving the building (e.g., providing heating or cooling to the facility). In some embodiments, consumption for the facility includes consumption associated with transportation of goods and/or people to and from the facility or otherwise associated with the operation of the facility, for example energy consumption by transportation vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, trains, planes, ships, etc.).

At step 704, energy consumption of the facility 600 for a future time period (e.g., an upcoming time period) is predicted, for example using a neural network trained to predict future energy consumption. The energy consumption predicted at step 704 can be a total energy consumption over the entire future time period, or the energy consumption can be predicted for particular time steps (e.g., sub-portions of the future time period discretized at any level of granularity), as a continuous function, etc. The notation herein designates the energy consumption as E_(consumed). The energy consumption predicted at step 704 may be the energy consumption of the facility 600 in the absence of load shaving (e.g., energy conservation measures, curtailment, etc.). If load shaving is subsequently employed, the actual energy consumption of the facility 600 may be less than the amount predicted in step 704, as described below.

At step 706, energy production of the facility 600 for a future time period (e.g., an upcoming time period) is predicted, for example using a neural network trained to predict future energy production. The energy production predicted at step 706 can be a total energy production over the entire future time period, or the energy production can be predicted for particular time steps (e.g., sub-portions of the future time period discretized at any level of granularity), as a continuous function, etc. The notation herein designates the energy production as E_(produced). In some embodiments, the energy production of the facility 600 over the future time period is predictable (e.g., as a function of sunlight, weather patterns, etc.), but not controllable.

At step 708, an amount of energy to be shaved over the future time period to achieve net zero consumption is calculated. The amount of energy to be shaved may be calculated as E_(shave)=E_(consumed)−E_(produced)−E₀, where E_(shave) is the amount by which energy predicted to be consumed over the future time period exceeds the amount of energy predicted to be produced over the future time period while accounting for the energy margin (i.e., surplus energy generated up to the current time). Accordingly, E_(shave) represents the amount by which the predicted energy consumption E_(consumption) needs to be reduced to achieve net zero energy over the time period. In another formulation, the amount of energy to be shaved over a future time period from T₀ to T₁ is the amount by ∫_(T) ₀ ^(T) ¹ E_(consumed) must be reduced to ensure that E₀ ^(T) ⁰ +∫_(T) ₀ ^(T) ¹ E_(produced)−∫_(T) ₀ ^(T) ¹ E_(consumed)≥0. In scenarios where this inequality is satisfied without load shaving (i.e., no load shaving is needed to achieve net zero status), process 700 can stop at step 708.

At step 710, the energy to be shaved is allocated (e.g., distributed, broken down, divided, sorted, etc.) across energy loads 604, for example based on the flexibility of different energy loads 604 and relative loads. For example, in one scenario, energy consumed by HVAC equipment 614 may account for a large relative fraction of the total energy load (i.e., total energy consumption of all the energy loads 604) and may be relatively flexible (depending on the facility's tolerance for mild occupant discomfort, for example) as compared to other domains (e.g., data center equipment that is difficult to control, lighting that must be on at certain times to allow people to see in a space, etc.). Step 710 works to allocate the total energy to be shaved across the energy loads 604 so that each energy load (e.g., each building domain) is assigned a particular amount energy that should be shaved by that particular energy load (e.g., a first load shaving amount for the HVAC equipment 614, a second load shaving amount for the lighting devices 616, a third load shaving amount for the appliances 618, etc.). The actions taken by each of the energy loads 604 to achieve the assigned amount of load shaving may include, for example, changes in operation of that energy load relative to the predicted baseline operation of that energy load.

At step 712, operations changes to achieve the energy to be shaved for each energy load 604 are back calculated Artificial intelligence models for each energy load 604 (e.g., a model for HVAC equipment 614, a model for lighting devices 616, a model for appliances 618, a model for computing and data center equipment 620, etc.) can be used to predict the amount of energy savings that can be achieved by different operational changes. The models may also account for constraints or penalties associated with negative effects on the facility performance and utility (e.g., occupant discomfort, reduced productivity, scheduling inconveniences, etc.) which guide the operational changes to still provide acceptable facility performance and utility while achieving the energy load shaving. Step 712 outputs a set of operational changes (e.g., setpoint changes, on/off decisions, schedules, etc.) that can be implemented by controlling the energy loads 604 in accordance with the operational changes. By implementing the operational changes over the time period, an amount of energy is shaved from the predicted baseline energy so that E₀ ^(T) ⁰ +∫_(T) ₀ ^(T) ¹ E_(produced)−∫_(T) ₀ ^(T) ¹ E_(consumed)≥0. In this inequality, the value of ∫_(T) ₀ ^(T) ¹ E_(consumed) may be reduced relative to the value predicted in step 704 as a result of the operational changes made in step 712.

Referring now to FIG. 8 , a graph 800 of energy amounts that may be involved in an example execution of process 700 is shown, according to some embodiments. In particular, FIG. 8 shows a first region 802 before time T₀ and a second region 804 after time T₀ and through time T₁. Process 700 can be executed at or near (e.g., momentarily before) time T₀ and for the period through time T₁.

The graph 800 shows an actual energy consumption line 806 and an actual energy generation line 808 in the first region 802 representing actual (e.g., measured) values of energy consumption and production over a time period up to time T₀, for example a one-day period. As shown, both the energy consumption line 806 and the actual energy generation line 808 follow a curve that increases in a middle of the period (e.g., in the middle of the day). As one possibility, the graph 800 may represent a scenario where both photovoltaic energy production and energy demand spikes in the middle of a day (e.g., due to increased solar irradiation and associated cooling demand around noon on a sunny summer day). In the first region 802, the actual energy consumption line 806 and the actual energy generation line 808 intersect twice. That is, consumption is greater than generation at some moments in time and consumption is less than generation at other points in time. Although the first region 802 includes periods where energy consumption was greater than energy generation, the first region 802 represents a net zero energy period if the area under the energy consumption line 806 in the first region 802 is equal to or less than the area under the energy generation line 808 in the first region 802. The difference between the area under the energy generation line 808 in the first region 802 and the energy consumption line 806 in the first region 802 represents the energy margin (i.e., surplus energy generated) in the first time period before time T₀.

The second region 804 shows forecasts over the time period T₀ to T₁. In particular, an energy consumption forecast line 810, an energy generation forecast line 812, and a shaved energy consumption line 814 are shown. The energy consumption forecast line 810 illustrates energy predicted to be consumed over time period T₀ to T₁ (e.g., output from step 704). The energy generation forecast line 812 illustrates energy predicted to be generated over time period T₀ to T₁ (e.g., output from step 706). The shaved energy consumption line 814 represents the amount of energy forecast to be consumed if operational changes are made to shave energy relative to the baseline prediction represented by the energy consumption forecast line 810 (e.g., as a result of step 712).

In the graph 800 and in the second region 804, the total amount of energy to be shaved to achieve net zero energy is the difference between the area under the energy consumption forecast line 810 and the area under energy generation forecast line 812, while the total amount of energy predicted to be shaved is the area between the energy consumption line 810 and the shaved energy consumption line 814. Accordingly, if the area between the energy consumption line 810 and the shaved energy consumption line 814 (plus the energy margin, if any, from the first region 802) is greater than or equal to the difference between the area under the energy consumption forecast line 810 and the area under energy generation forecast line 812, then the graph 800 illustrates a scenario where energy consumption is shaved to achieve net zero energy consumption by time T₁.

Referring now to FIG. 9 , a block diagram of system manager 502 (or a portion thereof) is shown, according to some embodiments. The system manager 502 can be implemented using circuitry that includes one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing program instructions, that, when executed by one or more processors of the system manager 502, causes the one or more processors to perform the operations attributed to the system manager 502 herein. The system manage 502 may be located at the facility 600, can be implemented as a cloud resource or other software-as-a-service platform, or some combination thereof, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 9 , the system manager 502 provides a cascaded control architecture, where a first predictive optimization is performed to determine a net energy trajectory over a first, longer time period (e.g., one month, one quarter, one year, etc.) and the net energy trajectory is used as an input to a second predictive optimization performed over a subperiod of the first, longer time period (e.g., over one week, one day, one hour, etc.) to determine curtailment actions for the energy loads 604. The system manager 502 is shown as including a long term predictor 900, a long term planner 902, a short term predictor 904, and a short term advisor 906. The system manager 502 is shown as being communicable with energy loads 604.

The long term predictor 900 is configured to predict baseline energy consumption and energy production by the facility 600 over a first time period. The first time period may correspond to a period of interest to stakeholders (building managers, owners, business leaders, shareholders, regulatory agency, etc.) over which such stakeholders expect the facility 600 to achieve net zero energy consumption. For example, the first time period may be one year (e.g., a company's fiscal year, a calendar year). As another example, the first time period may be a quarter (i.e., a three-month period). As another example, the first time period may be a month. The long term predictor 900 can use climate data, historical building data (e.g., data for the particular facility 600 from prior time periods, data from similar facilities, etc.), and various modeling techniques to predict baseline energy consumption and energy production over the first time period. The predictions preferably include forecasted timeseries or continuous functions of baseline energy consumption and production across the first time period.

The long term planner 902 is configured to uses the predicted baseline energy consumption and energy production by the facility 600 as inputs to a first predictive optimization. The long term planner 902 may also predict utility rates or other time-varying characteristics relating to energy use (e.g., marginal operating carbon emissions rates). The long term planner 902 executes the predictive optimization to output a net energy trajectory for the first time period. The net energy trajectory indicates values of the net energy consumption at moments in time within the time period, for example a timeseries of net energy values associated with time steps in the time period. The first predictive optimization is preferably constrained so that the net energy trajectory achieves a value of zero at the end of the first time period, while allowing the net energy trajectory to take different values over the time period.

The first predictive optimization may minimize a predicted cost over the time period. For example, the long term planner may include an objective function that accounts for a cost of operating the facility 600 over the time period as a function of the net energy trajectory and the predictions for the baseline energy consumption and production (e.g., costs of buying grid energy or other resources, maintenance costs, internalized costs of carbon emissions or other pollution associated with use of grid energy, etc.). The long term planner 902 can execute the predictive optimization to find the net energy trajectory that minimizes the objective function over the time period. For example, time-shifting energy consumption to better align consumption with production can help to reduce the overall value of the objective function. As another example, time-shifting energy consumption away from peak demand periods for the utility grid can help reduce costs, marginal emissions, etc. associated with operation of the facility. As another example, shaving loads may be cheaper, more sustainable, less emitting, etc. at certain times in the first time period as compared to other time. The long term planner 902 is configured to handle any such considerations in order to output the net energy trajectory for the time period.

The long term planner 902 thereby outputs a net energy trajectory indicating values of the net energy consumption at moments in time within the time period. Additional details of some embodiments are shown below with reference to FIG. 10 . The net energy trajectory is provided as an input to short term advisor 906 as illustrated in FIG. 9 .

The short term predictor 904 is configured to predict energy production and baseline energy consumption over a subperiod of the time period used by the long term predictor 900 and the long term planner 902, for example one day or one week. The short term predictor 904 may also predict utility rates, marginal operating emissions rate, etc. over the subperiod. While the long term predictor 900 may use general climate data, for example, the short term predictor 904 operates over a shorter timeline where weather forecasts (e.g., from a third-party weather service) are relative reliable and can be used for prediction of energy production and baseline energy consumption. Because of the shorter prediction horizon, the predictions by the short term predictor 904 are typically more accurate (i.e., closer to the actual conditions that occur) than the outputs of the long term predictor 900. The cascaded architecture of the system manager 502 thereby benefits from generating predictions by the short term predictor 904 at the beginning of subperiods of the longer time period to facilitate higher quality operation of the short term advisor 906 described in the following.

The short term advisor 906 is configured to use the net energy trajectory from the long term planner 902 and the predictions from the short term predictor 904 to determine curtailment actions to be implemented during the subperiod via the energy loads 604 to shave energy consumption such that actual net energy tracks the net energy trajectory for the subperiod. For example, the short term advisor 906 can determine curtailment actions that the short term advisor 906 predicts will cause actual net energy consumption from a beginning of the first time period to the end of the subperiod to equal the value of the net energy trajectory for the end of the subperiod. Example graphical illustrations of such a goal, constraint, etc. are shown in FIG. 11 and described with reference thereto.

The short term advisor 906 may be configured to determine the curtailment actions as outputs of a predictive optimization executed by the short term advisor 906. The predictive optimization may minimize an impact of implementing the curtailment actions. In such examples, the short term advisor 906 can use predictive models for different types of energy loads (e.g., for different building domains) which predict impacts of the curtailment actions on operating costs, emissions, pollution, facility productivity, occupant discomfort, etc. For example, the short term advisor 906 may run a model that associates a reduction of energy consumption by computing equipment 620 or appliances 618 with a reduction in productivity (e.g., characterized in financial terms), such that the short term advisor 906 can assign numerical cost values associated with different curtailment option. As another example, the short term advisor 906 may run a model that provides a numerical penalty value based on occupant discomfort associated with attempts to curtail energy consumption of HVAC equipment. Various costs (financial or otherwise) can thus be associated with different curtailment options by the short term advisor 906. The short term advisor 906 can then run an optimization over the different curtailment options and using the associated costs of the curtailment options, the short-term prediction of baseline energy consumption over the subperiod, the short-term prediction of energy production over the subperiod, an indication of an actual (e.g., measurement-based) net energy amount at the beginning of the subperiod, and the net energy trajectory in order to determine a set of curtailment actions predicted to achieve the target defined by the net energy trajectory at minimal negative impact to facility performance (e.g., minimized predicted cost).

The short term advisor 906 thus outputs curtailment actions to be implemented by the energy loads 604. As shown in FIG. 9 , the curtailment actions can be communicated from the system manager 502 to the energy loads 604, for example in the form of electronic requests, control signals, etc. that cause the energy loads 604 to implement the curtailment actions. In some embodiments, further optimizations or predictive control processes are performed in a distributed manner at local controllers for the energy loads 604 to optimally implement the curtailment actions. In some embodiments, the energy loads 604 are configured provide feedback to the short term advisory 906 if a curtailment action is not feasible, so that the short term advisor 906 and/or the long term planter 902 can re-run (e.g, with an additional constraint) to find a feasible solution. The energy loads 604 (e.g., HVAC equipment 614, lighting devices 616, appliances 618, and computing equipment 620) thereby operate based on the outputs of the short term advisor 906.

Referring now to FIG. 10 , a flowchart of a process 1000 for providing a net zero energy facility is shown, according to some embodiments. The process 1000 can be executed by the facility 600, for example by operation of the system manager 502.

At step 1002, baseline energy consumption and energy production are predicted for a facility. A baseline energy consumption amount β_(t) can be predicted for each of multiple periods t (e.g., for t=1, . . . , T). An energy production amount γ_(t) can also be predicted for each of the multiple periods t. The values of β_(t) and γ_(t) can be predicted using various artificial intelligence approaches trained on historical data, for example. In some embodiments, the energy consumption for a facility includes energy consumption of equipment located at or directly serving the building (e.g., providing heating or cooling to the facility). In some embodiments, consumption for the facility includes consumption associated with transportation of goods and/or people to and from the facility or otherwise associated with the operation of the facility, for example energy consumption of transportation vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, trains, planes, ships, etc.).

At step 1004, a first predictive optimization is performed to output a net energy trajectory {X_(t)} for a time period (t=1, . . . , T) that minimizes a predicted cost subject to achieving net zero energy at the end of the first time period (X_(T)≤0). The first predictive optimization may solve a problem formulated as:

${\min\limits_{C_{t}}{\sum\limits_{t}{{\phi_{t}\left( C_{t} \right)}{such}{that}{\sum\limits_{t}{\left( {1 - C_{t}} \right)\beta_{t}}}}}} \leq {\sum\limits_{t}{\gamma_{t}{and}0}} \leq C_{t} \leq {{\overset{¯}{C}}_{t}{\forall t}}$

where C_(t) is an amount of curtailment at time t (expressed as a fraction or percentage in the example shown), ϕ_(t)(·) is a function indicating a cost of curtailment in period t, and C _(t) is less than or equal to one and represents a maximum allowed curtailment for period t. That is, ϕ_(t)(C_(t)) characterizes a cost of reducing consumption relative to predicted baseline β_(t) by an amount of energy C_(t)*β_(t). In some embodiments, ϕ_(t)(·) models or predicts and operational cost or penalty associated with the consumption. In other embodiments, ϕ_(t)(·) is chosen as a convex function representing that small curtailments are exponentially easier than large curtailments. For example, in some embodiments, ϕ_(t)(c)=c^(k), k>1.

The inequality constraint Σ_(t)(1−C_(t))β_(t)≤Σ_(t) γ_(t) constrains the predictive optimization to achieve net zero energy consumption, i.e., consumption greater than production. In other embodiments, especially in scenarios where net zero consumption may not always be feasible, the problem is formulated with the constraint expressed as a penalty ψ(X), for example with an objective:

$\begin{matrix} {{{\min\limits_{C_{t}}{\sum_{t}{\phi_{t}\left( C_{t} \right)}}} + {\psi(X)}},} &  \end{matrix}$

where X=Σ_(t)(1−C_(t))β_(t)−Σ_(t) γ_(t).

In some embodiments, the optimization problem at step 1004 is reformulated as a discrete-time stochastic control process, for example a Markov decision process (MDP). In such examples, the optimization problem solved in step 1004 can be expressed as:

$\begin{matrix} {\min\limits_{X_{t},C_{t}}{\sum_{t}{\phi_{t}\left( C_{t} \right)}}} &  \end{matrix}$

such that X_(t+1)=X_(t)+(1−C_(t))β_(t)−γ_(t), X_(T)≤0, and 0≤C_(t)≤C _(t) ∀t, where X_(t) is the net energy consumption at the beginning of period t (and at the end of period t−1). The constraint X_(T)≤0 requires consumption to be non-positive at the end of the optimization horizon. In such embodiments, the solution to such a problem and the output of step 1004 is a timeseries of values of net energy consumption X_(t), referred to herein as a net energy trajectory {X_(t)}, t=1, . . . , T.

In some embodiments, step 1004 includes executing a stochastic optimization. In such embodiments, the problem solved at step 1004 is formulated as:

$\begin{matrix} {\min\limits_{\kappa( \cdot )}{{\mathbb{E}}\left( {\sum\limits_{t}\left( {{\phi_{t}\left( C_{t} \right)} + {\psi\left( X_{t + 1} \right)} - {\psi\left( X_{t} \right)}} \right)} \right)}} &  \end{matrix}$

such that

X _(t+1) =X _(t)+(1−C _(t))β _(t) exp(ξ_(t))−γ _(t) exp(ζ_(t))

ξ_(t+1)=λ_(ξ)ξ_(t)+

(0,σ_(ξ))

ζ_(t+1)=λ_(ζ)ζ_(t)+

(0,σ_(ζ))

C _(t)=κ(X _(t),ξ_(t),ζ_(t) ,t)

where β_(t) is produced by a multiplicative random walk (β_(t)=β _(t) exp(ξ_(t)), ξ_(t)=λξ_(t)+ϵ_(t), ϵ_(t)˜

(0, σ) iid, λ≤1) where the Markov state is the current level ξ_(t). A similar structure can be used for energy production γ_(t) with rand om variable ζ_(t). Such a formulation has separate random trajectories for each of β_(t) and γ_(t). Thus, the overall Markov state is (X_(t), ξ_(t), ζ_(t)) and the optimal curtailment policy is some function C_(t)=κ(X_(t), ξ_(t), ζ_(t), t). Step 1004 executes an optimization to find optimal κ(·), for example using certainty equivalence model predictive control, dynamic programming, reinforcement learning, or direct policy optimization.

At step 1006, a second predictive optimization is performed to output a set of curtailment actions {U_(kt)} for a subperiod t of the time period up to time T that minimizes a predicted cost subject to achieving the value of the net energy trajectory at the end of the subperiod (i.e., X_(t+1)). In some embodiments, the optimization problem at step 1006 is formulated as

$\min\limits_{U_{kt},C_{kt}}{\sum_{t}{\sum_{k}{\phi_{kt}\left( U_{kt} \right)}}}$

such that C_(kt)=π_(kt)(U_(kt)) and Σ_(t)(γ_(t)−Σ_(k)(1−C_(kt))β_(kt))≥χ, where k indicates a curtailment category (building domain, energy load type) (e.g., HVAC, lighting, plug load, etc.), U_(kt) indicates a curtailment action for category k during period t, C_(kt) is a curtailment fraction for category k during period t, ϕ_(kt)(·) models the cost of curtailment actions for category k during period t, π_(kt)(·) is a curtailment model for category k during period t predicting the amount of curtailment that would result from a curtailment action, β_(kt) is a predicted baseline energy consumption for category k during period t, γ_(t) is predicted energy production during period t, and χ is a net energy target for the period t from step 1004. In some embodiments χ=X_(t+1)−X_(t), i.e., the change in the net energy trajectory from step 1004 associated with period t. In other embodiments, χ=X_(t+1)−X_(actual,t), where X_(actual,t) is a measured net energy consumption up to time step t (e.g., since t=1). In some embodiments, the cost of curtailment actions accounts for multiple objectives (e.g., utility prices, occupant comfort, carbon emissions, pollution, air quality, etc.). In some such embodiments the predictive optimization of step 1006 (or other control processes herein) can include a process for tuning one or more weights of an objective function to facilitate tracking to the net energy trajectory over time, for example as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/686,320, filed Mar. 3, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

The curtailment actions indicated by U_(kt) are the main decision variables of the optimization problem solved in step 1006 and can indicate various actions depending on the associated category k. For example, for an HVAC category, U_(kt) can be a zone temperature setpoint or setpoint change (e.g., +2°, −5°, etc.). For a lighting category, U_(kt) can indicate a lighting level or a fraction of rooms to be lit. The amount of curtailment C_(kt) produced by action U_(kt) is specified by the function π_(kt)(·), which may be a simple (e.g., nonlinear) data-driven model. Step 1006 can be formulated as a deterministic problem, for example because the horizon of step 1006 is shorter than for step 1004 (i.e., one subperiod t compared to longer time span t=1, . . . , T. In some embodiments, step 1006 uses user preferences input via a user interface which specify which categories of loads a user would prefer to curtail (e.g., a ranking or priority list). The user interface can be updated over time as the subperiods elapse, for example showing changing curtailment options over time and/or displaying a visualization of actual performance relative to the planed net energy trajectory. In some embodiments, the curtailment actions can include deploying (e.g., installing, bringing online, starting up, etc.) a new device of equipment (e.g., energy storage equipment, green energy production equipment, efficient HVAC equipment, etc.), with the step 1006 determining a size, capacity, type, model, etc. of the new device to be deployed (e.g., following various teachings described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/246,177, filed Sep. 20, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein).

In some embodiments, finding the curtailment actions U_(kt) can be performed by walking a building graph of a digital twin of the facility. Digital twins may include digital entities (e.g., data objects, software agents, etc.) that represent real-world entities such as building equipment, systems, spaces, persons, time series data, or any other building-related entity. Several examples of digital twins and a framework/platform which can be used to define connections between digital twins (e.g., causal relationships, functional relationships, spatial relationships, etc.) are described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/354,436 filed Jun. 22, 2021, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/134,661 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/134,664 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/134,671 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/134,659 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/134,973 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/134,999 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/135,023 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/134,691 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/135,056 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/135,009 filed Dec. 28, 2020, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/504,121 filed Oct. 18, 2021, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/737,873, filed May 5, 2022. The entire disclosure of each of these patent applications is incorporated by reference herein.

For example, a digital twin building knowledge graph can be queried for twins that match certain criteria and actuations can be made at a granular level (e.g., at the level of specific dimmable lighting devices, etc.). Use of a digital twin approach allows decisions to be based on user preferences, sustainability considerations, comfort preferences and can provide highly granular curtailment actions U_(kt) (e.g., associated with particular devices, equipment units, etc.). The digital twin approach can also serve to easily link the net zero algorithms described herein to different facilities, for example enabling easily installation and configuration of the features described herein and easy adaptability as new devices, equipment, energy loads are added (or removed) from a facility.

Execution of step 1006 thereby outputs curtailment actions U_(kt). At step 1008, the curtailment actions U_(kt) are implemented by operating equipment in accordance with the curtailment actions U_(kt) during the subperiod. Step 1006 can include sending control signals to energy loads 604 such that the energy loads 604 operate to shave energy relative to the predicted baseline energy consumption in accordance with the curtailment actions U_(kt). Steps 1006 and 1008 can be repeated for periods t until final period t=T so that net zero energy consumption is achieved at the end of the overall optimization period t=1, . . . , T. Execution of process 1000 thereby provides a net zero energy facility.

Referring now to FIG. 10 , a set of graphs of net energy over time which is illustrative of an example execution of process 1000 is shown, according to some embodiments. In the example of FIG. 10 , step 1004 has been executed to generate a net energy trajectory illustrated by line 1100 in the graphs shown. The net energy trajectory from step 1004 is used at multiple iterations of step 1006, as illustrated by its inclusion in the multiple graphs of FIG. 10 .

In a first graph 1101, step 1004 has run to generate curtailment actions that result in the net energy shown by short term advisory line 1102. The short term advisory line 1102 starts from an actual energy consumption at the beginning of a subperiod and achieves (becomes equal with) the net energy trajectory (line 1100) by the end of the subperiod. Advantageously, this approach enables correction of any prior deviations from the net energy trajectory at each short-term advisory stage (e.g., at each instance of step 1006). The first graph 1101 also illustrates that the short term advisory line 1102 is allowed to deviate from the net energy trajectory (line 1100) during the subperiod, so long as the lines converge at the end of the subperiod. This flexibility can enable savings and improve the feasibility of tracking the net energy trajectory.

A second graph 1103 shows another short term advisory line 1104 for a later subperiod. As for the first graph 1101, the short term advisory line 1104 for the later subperiod is allowed to deviate from the net energy trajectory (line 1100) during the subperiod but reaches the value of the net energy trajectory by the end of the subperiod, such that lines 1100 and 1104 converge at the end of the subperiod. A fourth graph 1105 of FIG. 11 shows a similar arrangement, where a short term advisory line 1106 for the corresponding subperiod reaches the value of the net energy trajectory by the end of the corresponding subperiod such that the short term advisory line 1106 converges with the line 1100. FIG. 11 thereby illustrates how the cascaded architecture of FIG. 9 and the multiple optimizations of FIG. 10 can be executed in an example scenario to achieve net zero energy consumption by providing a net energy trajectory comprising net energy targets for a plurality of subperiods of a time period, generating, at each subperiod of the plurality of subperiods, a set of curtailment actions predicted to achieve the net energy target for the subperiod, and implementing the sets of curtailment actions. Building managers, owners, and other stakeholders can thus be reliably ensured that their facilities will achieve net zero energy consumption over a time period of interest.

Although the examples above refer primarily to energy consumption and production to achieve net zero energy over a time period, the teachings herein can be adapted to other types of net consumption such as resource consumption (e.g., water consumption, gas consumption, fuel cell consumption, hydrogen consumption, raw materials, goods) and consumption characterized by amount of pollution (e.g., carbon emissions, particulate emissions, sound pollution, light pollution, etc.). Consumption can be offset by production of resources (e.g., production of hydrogen fuel, rainwater collection) or by other offset action (e.g., capturing or sequestering carbon, filtering pollutants, recycling, etc.). The present disclosure thus includes disclosure of approaches for achieving net zero consumption or other target amount of net consumption for various types or combinations of consumption over a time period by implementing the various features described herein.

Configuration of Example Embodiments

Although the figures show a specific order of method steps, the order of the steps may differ from what is depicted. Also two or more steps can be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Such variation will depend on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, calculation steps, processing steps, comparison steps, and decision steps.

The construction and arrangement of the systems and methods as shown in the various embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.). For example, the position of elements can be reversed or otherwise varied and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions can be altered or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. The order or sequence of any process or method steps can be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions can be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: providing a net consumption trajectory comprising net consumption targets for one or more subperiods of a time period, wherein each net consumption target indicates a target difference from a beginning of a time period to an end of the subperiod between total consumption and total production or offset; generating, for a subperiod of the plurality of subperiods, a set of curtailment actions predicted to achieve the net consumption target for the subperiod; and implementing the set of curtailment actions.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the net consumption target is a net energy target indicating a target difference between total energy consumption and total energy production, wherein the subperiod starts after the beginning of the time period.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the total energy consumption corresponds to energy used by a facility and the total energy production corresponds to green energy produced at the facility.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the net consumption target is a net carbon target indicating a target difference between total carbon emissions and total carbon capture from a beginning of the time period to an end of the subperiod.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing a user dashboard comprising a visualization of the net consumption trajectory and the curtailment actions; and updating the user dashboard as the plurality of subperiods elapse.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the net consumption trajectory comprises generating the net consumption trajectory as an output of a predictive optimization constrained to cause the net consumption trajectory to have a target value at an end of the time period.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the curtailment actions comprises deploying a device of building equipment specified by the curtailment actions.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the curtailment actions comprises controlling equipment to execute the curtailment actions.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the equipment comprises a lighting device and a HVAC device, and wherein the set of curtailment actions comprises a lighting level change and a temperature setpoint change.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the net consumption trajectory comprises performing a predictive optimization at a beginning of the time period; and wherein generating the set of curtailment actions is performed at a beginning of the subperiod.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the total consumption comprises a first portion associated with building equipment and a second portion associated with transportation vehicles.
 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising predicting an amount of energy production for the time period using a neural network, wherein the net consumption trajectory is based on the amount of energy production for the time period.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the set of curtailment actions comprises using a digital twin of a facility and wherein implementing the set of curtailment actions comprises operating equipment represented in the digital twin.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the set of curtailment actions comprises allocating portions of a total curtailment amount across a plurality of types of equipment.
 15. A system comprising: an energy load operable to consume energy; a green energy source configured to produce energy; and processing circuitry programmed to: provide a net energy trajectory comprising net energy targets for one or more subperiods of a time period, the net energy targets indicating gaps between energy to be consumed by the energy load and energy to be produced by the green energy source; generate, for a subperiod of the plurality of subperiods, a curtailment action predicted to achieve the net energy target for the subperiod; and implement the curtailment action by affecting the energy load.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the net energy target for the subperiod indicates a target difference between cumulative energy consumption by the energy load and cumulative energy production by the green energy source from a beginning of the time period to an end of the subperiod, wherein the subperiod starts after the beginning of the time period.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is configured to generate the curtailment action by performing a predictive optimization that uses cost predictions for possible curtailment actions and energy shaving predictions for the possible curtailment actions.
 18. The system of claim 15, wherein: the processing circuitry is programmed to perform a first predictive optimization and a second predictive optimization; the net energy trajectory is an output of the first predictive optimization an input to the second predictive optimization; and the curtailment action is an output of the second predictive optimization.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first predictive optimization is constrained to cause the net energy trajectory to have a zero value at an end of the time period.
 20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first predictive optimization is performed at a beginning of the time period and the second predictive optimization is performed at a beginning of the subperiod, the beginning of the subperiod after the beginning of the time period.
 21. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is programmed to generate the set of curtailment actions comprises using a digital twin of a facility and wherein implementing the set of curtailment actions comprises operating equipment represented in the digital twin. 